Canadian Military Could Disappear by 2013

Canada is becoming the first major power to disarm itself because the government continues to neglect its military, according to a new report.

A Queen's University study titled, "Canada Without Armed Forces?" predicts Canada's air force and its army or navy will likely disappear between 2008-2013.

Canada cannot help but become the first modern and major power to disarm itself, the report says, adding that if the military falls further into disrepair, in a few years Canada effectively will be disarmed.

According to the report:

The Canadian military needs a cash infusion of $50 billion over the next 15 years to replace military equipment.

Canada only spends about $10 billion a year on defense and the size of its military has fallen by 50 percent in the last 40 years.

The defense budget should be increased to $5 billion annually.

The report, produced by the university's defense management program, says the state of the Canadian Forces is at a "national crisis." Lack of funding will make Canada's major military equipment "operationally irrelevant" in five to 10 years, it says.

Consequently, Canada's foreign policies will be affected as it "repeatedly backs away from foreign commitments because it lacks adequate military forces," the report says.

Source: "Canada disarming itself: study," CBC News Online, December 3, 2003 and "Canada's 'Vanishing Military Forces," Parade Magazine, Fort Worth Star Telegram, January 18, 2004; based upon "Canada Without Armed Forces?" Queen's University School of Public Policy, December 3, 2003.